Bowstring-mounted peep sight

ABSTRACT

A bowstring-mounted peep sight including a body having vertically disposed side channels serving as housings and guides for carrying the strands of a divided multi-filament bowstring. A frame encircling the body of the sight and overlying the divided strands firmly embraces the peep sight body along opposed sides thereof, the frame including internally formed upper and lower bosses or hubs having axially disposed in-line passages adapted slidably to receive the bowstring therethrough, whereby the peep sight is conveniently secured on the bowstring in any selectable position. The body of the peep sight, adjacent the area of the sighting port, is provided with a grating-type surface contour to eliminate reflection and glare in the region of the port.

United States Patent Saunders BOWSTRING-MOUNTED PEEP SIGHT [72] Inventor: Charles A. Saunders, Columbus,

Nebr.

[73] Assignee: Saunders Archery Company,

Columbus, Nebr.

22 Filed: Feb. 10,1971

21 Appl.No.: 114,108

52 U.S. Cl. 533/265, 124/30 R 51 Int. Cl. ..F4lg 1/00, F4lb 5/00 58 Field of Search...33/46 A, 52; 124/23, 24, 30 R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,410,644 11/1968 McLendon ..33/46A 1,582,063 4/1926 McIntosh ..33/52 [451 Nov, 28, 1972 7 Primary Examinerbeonard Forman Assistant ExaminerSteven L. Stephan Att0rneyKegan, Kegan & Berkman ABSTRACT A bowstring-mounted peep sight including a body having vertically disposed side channels serving as housings and guides for carrying the strands of a divided multi-filament bowstring. A frame encircling the body of the sight and overlying the divided strands firmly embraces the peep sight body along opposed sides thereof, the frame including internally formed upper and lower bosses or hubs having axially disposed inline passages adapted slidably to receive the bowstring therethrough, whereby the peep sight is conveniently secured on the bowstring in any selectable position. The body of the peep sight, adjacent the area of the sighting port, is provided with a grating-type surface contour to eliminate reflection and glare in the region of the port.

6 Clains, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDknvza ma 3. 703; 771

INVENTOR CHARLES A. SAUNDERS B Y 7 442% E35.

BOWSTRING-MOUNTED PEEP SIGHT The present invention relates generally to archery equipment and to devices'for improving the accuracy of such equipment in use. More particularly, the invention is directed to an improved peep sight of the type which is mounted on the bowstring of a bow.

The use of bowstring-mounted peep sights is well established in the'archery art, and many and varied types of peep sight structures have been described and employed, but none has proven completely satisfactory for its intended functions. In some instances, the mode of attachment of the peep sight to the bowstring has been inherently complex and inconvenient. In other cases the attachment has resulted in a physical imbalance in the bowstring. In still other cases the peep sight has not been securely retained and has been subject to undesirable physical shifting along the bowstring. It is to the elimination of these and other objectionable features of prior art devices that the instant invention is directed.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved bowstring-mounted peep sight which is not only simple in construction, but is easily and readily attachable and adjustable, and which may be conveniently and positively secured in place at anyselectable position along the bowstring.

It is an important feature of the peep sight of the invention that it produces only a minimum of interference with the critical balance of the bowstring, and tends to preserve the dynamic symmetry of the system involved.

Other important features of the peep sight are its extremely light weight, .its low cost," and the simple manner in which it is secured on the bowstring, without tools.

A related significant feature of the invention is the ease with which the-peep sight may be removed from the bowstring, if desired.

It is a feature of a preferred embodiment of ,the peep sight of the invention that there is provided, in the region proximate the peep sight port, a surface: relief which eliminates or minimizes undesirable light reflections from the surface of the peep sight body. 2 l

Still another feature of the peep sight of the invention is that it may readily be shifted vertically along the bowstring, to any desirable position, without removal of the bowstring from the bow, and without separation of the peep sight from the bowstring.

Other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a bow with the peep sight of the invention secured in place on the FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of the peep sight of the invention showing details of the reflectionlimiting face of the body of the sight; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 7 and showing the bowstring receiving channel formed in-the side of the body of the peep sight. V In effectuating and achieving the aims and purposes of the present invention, there is provided a peep sight which consists of two principal elements including a body portion and a framing member, the two components being readily assembled to provide the equivalent of a completely unitary structure.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 2-6, for the purposes of disclosure, the peep sight 20 of the invention is shown as including a body and a frame fabricated as separate physical components, preferably of plastic composition. In the preferred embodiment of theinvention illustrated, the body 30 of the peep sightis of a generally oval configuration, tapering to a somewhat reduced width at either end. The body walls 46 are formed with guide channels or grooves 50 extending along the length of the body 30 at opposed sides thereof. The depth of the channels50 is sufficient to permit a seating of the strands 54 of the multi-filament bowstring 60, the strands being divided so that half the member is received in each of the opposed channels, as indicated in FIGS. 5 and 6.

The frame 40 of the peep sight 20 is, in the preferred embodiment illustrated, somewhat flexible and generally rectangular in form and includes opposed lateral arms or bands 64, the bands being interconnected at corresponding opposed ends through integrally formed bosses or hubs 66 having bores or passages 70 extending axially therethrough. The diameter of the bores 70' is such as to accommodate passage of the bowstring 60 but to effect a gripping of the string frictionally.

It is believed that the mode of attachment of the peep sight 20 to the bowstring 60 will be apparent from a consideration of the foregoing description. The bowstring 60 is threaded through the hubs 66 of the peep sight frame 40 and the frame 40 is slidable positioned to the desired location on thebowstring, as indicated generally in FIG. 1. That lineal segment of the bowstring lying within the frame 40 is then divided or separated into two equal bundles of strands 54, one of these bundles being trained and seated in each of the channels 50 at opposite sides of the peep sight body 30. The peep sight body 30 with its embracing strands 54 is then forcibly inserted within the frame 40 so that the arms 64 of the frame overlie the strand bundles 54 and lock the strand filaments in the channels 5 50. The bowstring 60 is then grasped at either end issuing from the frame 40 and pulled taut to remove any slack. The peep sight now appears as a substantially unitary assembly, the bowstring strands passing through the sight along the side walls and being completely hidden from view as depicted in FIG. 2.

While the mechanical arrangement described above is such as to maintain the peep sight 20 frictionally secured in place on the bowstring 60, a more per- 66 and crimped in place. To remove or to shift the peep sight, it is necessary merely to detach the crimped bands 80 from the compressible, plastic collars 66.

In the specific preferred embodiment of the peep sight illustrated, the body 30 is formed on its principal face in the area surrounding the peep port 90 with a light baffle contour effective to minimize objectional light reflection from that surface of the peep sight facing an archer during use of the sighting device. As shown in FIG. 2 and as evident more clearly in FIG. 7, the light baffle means comprises a grating 92 consisting of an array of alternating raised portions or ribs 94 and depressed portions or grooves 98 which serve as light defracting structures. In the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated the gratings are disposed as sectors arranged annularly about the peep port 90, the various sectors of the array sloping inwardly toward the peep sight port to establish a generally dish-shaped recess I as seen most clearly in FIG. 6. For convenience in use, each of the opposed principal faces of the peep sight has the grating treatment.

The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to explain and illustrate the invention and the manner in which it may beperformed, and the invention is not to be limited thereto except insofar as the appended claims are so limited since those skilled in the art who have this disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An archery peep sight adapted for securement on a stranded bowstring of a bow and comprising:

an elongated frame having a longitudinal axis adapted to extend along the bowstring when the peep sight is functionally secured to the bowstring, said frame including a pair of opposed, laterally separated band means generally paralleling the longitudinal axis of said frame,

a pair of axially spaced boss means interconnecting said band means at corresponding opposite ends thereof,

each said boss means having formed therein an axial, through passage for receiving a stranded bowstring therethrough,

a peep sight body physically dimensioned for cooperation with and for framed securement within said frame,

said body adapted to seat firmly within said frame and to serve as a mechanical divider of filaments of the stranded bow-string passing axially through said passages in said boss means,

longitudinally extending filaments of said stranded bow-string being disposed to embrace said peep sight body and to pass on each of opposite lateral sides thereof in contact therewith, said filaments being confined between said body and facing surfaces of said band means of said frame stressing thereagainst,

said filaments being thereby securely retained between said body and said band means to support said peep sight frictionally on said bowstring,

said body being formed with a viewing port extending therethrough in a direction generally normal of a longitudinal axis of said peep sight and its supporting bowstring, whereby said port serves as a peep sight port along a path of view of an archer when the latter draws the bowstring.

2. The structure as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising groove means extending longitudinally along said body of said peep sight on opposed lateral sides of said body,

said groove means constituting at least partially recessed strand receiving guides for seating of said strands therewithin to enhance securement thereof.

3. The structure as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising light baffle means tominimize objectionable reflection of ambient light impinging upon and reflected from a surface of said peep sight facing an archer during use of said peep sight,

said baffle means comprising grating means formed on a facing said surface of said peep sight body and encircling said peep sight port,

said grating means consisting of arrays of alternating raised portions and depressed portions in said peep sight body.

4. The structure as set forth in claim 3 wherein said arrays of alternating raised portions and depressed portions define a plurality of radial sectors disposed annularly about said peep sight port.

5. The structure as set forth in claim 1 and wherein said boss means define annular collars about said bowstring passing threthrough and further comprising a band-like clamping element adapted for encircling and grippingly stressing against said collars to lock said collars on said bowstring, thereby to hold said peep sight securely in a selectable fixed position on the bowstring.

6. The structure as set forth in claim 4 wherein said radial sectors disposed annularly about said peep sight port form a multifaceted dish-like recess extending inwardly of said peep sight body into a face thereof presented to an archer during drawing of the bow and use of said peep sight. 

1. An archery peep sight adapted for securement on a stranded bowstring of a bow and comprising: an elongated frame having a longitudinal axis adapted to extend along the bowstring when the peep sight is functionally secured to the bowstring, said frame including a pair of opposed, laterally separated band means generally paralleling the longitudinal axis of said frame, a pair of axially spaced boss means interconnecting said band means at corresponding opposite ends thereof, each said boss means having formed therein an axial, through passage for receiving a stranded bowstring therethrough, a peep sight body physically dimensioned for cooperation with and for framed securement within said frame, said body adapted to seat firmly within said frame and to serve as a mechanical divider of filaments of the stranded bow-string passing axially through said passages in said boss means, longitudinally extending filaments of said stranded bow-string being disposed to embrace said peep sight body and to pass on each of opposite lateral sides thereof in contact therewith, said filaments being confined between said body and facing surfaces of said band means of said frame stressing thereagainst, said filaments being thereby securely retained between said body and said band means to support said peep sight frictionally on said bowstring, said body being formed with a viewing port extending therethrough in a direction generally normal of a longitudinal axis of said peep sight and its supporting bowstring, whereby said port serves as a peep sight port along a path of view of an archer when the latter draws the bowstring.
 2. The structure as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising groove means extending longitudinally along said body of said peep sight on opposed lateral sides of said body, said groove means constituting at least partially recessed strand receiving guides for seating of said strands therewithin to enhance securement thereof.
 3. The structure as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising light baffle means to minimize objectionable reflection of ambient light impinging upon and reflected from a surface of said peep sight facing an archer during use of said peep sight, said baffle means comprising grating means formed on a facing said surface of said peep sight body and encircling said peep sight port, said grating means consisting of arrays of alternating raised portions and depressed portions in said peep sight body.
 4. The structure as set forth in claim 3 wherein said arrays of alternating raised portions and depressed portions define a plurality of radial sectors disposed annularly about said peep sight port.
 5. The structure as set forth in claim 1 and wherein saiD boss means define annular collars about said bowstring passing threthrough and further comprising a band-like clamping element adapted for encircling and grippingly stressing against said collars to lock said collars on said bowstring, thereby to hold said peep sight securely in a selectable fixed position on the bowstring.
 6. The structure as set forth in claim 4 wherein said radial sectors disposed annularly about said peep sight port form a multifaceted dish-like recess extending inwardly of said peep sight body into a face thereof presented to an archer during drawing of the bow and use of said peep sight. 